Mr. J. T. Priceasked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance what the cost would be of increasing the present retirement pension by £1 for all retired persons except wives receiving benefits on husbands' insurance; what increase in the present National Insurance contribution would be actuarially justified in these circumstances; and if he will state his estimate of the total additional annual cost in 1960, 1970 and 1980, and the part of this cost attributable to women under 65.
§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenter:I regret that the information required to answer the question fully is not available. It is, however, estimated that the cost of increasing 10W retirement pensions by £1 a week for all retired persons except wives receiving benefit on their husbands' insurance would be about £200 million a year at present, rising to nearly £325 million in 1979–80. Of these sums the part attributable to women under 65 years of age would be about £25 million in each case.